Music Industry

M83 Tackles the ’80s

Darren Ressler

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Look out for a new M83 album, Saturdays = Youth, in the middle of April. Mute Records will drop it on the 15th. It will follow Digital Shades Volume 1, which was released only four months ago. That album, a collection of ambient tracks, was intended to be a part of a series in the same vein.

For the upcoming record, Anthony Gonzalez worked with Morgan Kibby, known for her work playing with the Romanovs and voice work on film trailers, after meeting and getting in touch with her via MySpace. He claims we can expect a throwback to his teenage, which he mentions consisted of hitting up parties, doing drugs, and having a good time. This will, of course, be the second album Gonzalez has made since his departure with Nicolas Fromageau, who we last heard from on Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts.

Where several M83 tracks have been used in various soundtracks (Night Watch and A Scanner Darkly), perhaps we can expect that this album will provide new ambient material for future subversive film trailer soundtracks.

RIP Mel Cheren

Darren Ressler

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Today we heard the sad news that Mel Cheren, the longtime New York City dance music icon who helmed West End Records and was a vocal AIDS activist, passed away. Long before major labels jumped on the disco bandwagon and shanghaied it in the ‘70s, Cheren helped promote the genre in the city’s underground and earned the nickname The Godfather of Dance. As an A&R man, he had a golden ear. He signed groundbreaking, chart-topping singles by NYC Peach Boys (“Don’t Make Me Wait”), Taana Gardner’s “Heartbeat” and Loose Joints’ (“Is It All Over My Face?”) Decades after their release, producers continue to sample these tracks.

Cheren was also the financial backer of the Paradise Garage and mentored a young DJ named Larry Levan, whose marathon sets continues to influence today’s DJs. In recent years, Cheren issued various label reissue projects (such as West End’s 25th anniversary two-disc set mixed by Masters At Work), wrote a book (My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep On Dancin’), helmed a bed and breakfast in Chelsea, and dreamed of opening a dance music museum. Cheren would’ve turned 75 next month.

Donations in Mel’s honor can be made to GMHC, 119 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011; The LGBT Community Center at 208 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011; or LIFEbeat, 630 9th Avenue Suite 1010 New York, NY 10036.

Grooverider Arrested in Dubai

Darren Ressler 1 Comment

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England’s Radio 1 has refused to comment on the arrest of one of its DJ’s, drum ‘n’ bass pioneer Grooverider (real name: Raymond Bingham). Grooverider was arrested in Dubai airport on November 23 for possession of cannabis and pornographic DVDs. Possession of drugs and porn are seriously illegal in the Islamic UAE Arabic State and carry a minimum sentence of four years in prison.

Since his arrest Grooverider has been detained without bail, a fact the promoter of the show he was due to play a sold-out show at The Lodge on the evening he arrived clearly stated to him in a fax before his departure.

It is also being claimed by Dubai based press that Grooverider had traces of drugs in his system after taking a urine test. This could weigh heavily against the DJ when his case is heard in the next few days. In 2006, R&B star Dallas Austin was also arrested in the UAE for bringing cocaine into the country. After lobbying from none other than Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, who is immensely popular in Dubai, the star was released and deported.

Grooverider’s case may not be so simple with the lack of backing from his employers in the UK; however, it appears that the British Embassy have been in touch with the man who introduced millions of us to drum and bass via the UK’s primary radio station.

Words: Oliver Guy-Watkins

Behind the Scenes: Daft Punk Cover Shoot

Darren Ressler

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If you’ve been keeping up with current events, you know that funky Parisians Daft Punk recently brought their awesome live show to America as part of their summer/fall world tour.

After rocking Vegoose in Las Vegas and then shooting over to Mexico, the duo flew to Los Angeles, where superstar photographer Beatrice Neumann shot the electronic giants for the next cover of Big Shot. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter brought their helmets, leather outfits and robot gloves, while Beatrice’s fembots kept everything in check. Here’s a behind the scenes peak into the shoot.

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images by Zel McCarthy